Special Court Orders Former Chief Secretary Leelamani Paudyal to Testify in Pokhara Airport Case

Dragon Media Correspondent

The Special Court has ordered former Chief Secretary Leelamani Paudyal to appear as a witness in a corruption case related to the construction of Pokhara Regional International Airport. According to a report published by Jana Aastha, the court directed that he be brought before it, either in person or by video link, through the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and the government attorney’s office.

The order was issued on Asoj 20 by a bench comprising Special Court Chairperson Basudev Acharya and members Hemant Rawal and Bidur Koirala. The report said the order was made under Section 7(a) of the Special Court Act, 2002.

Paudyal served as chief secretary from Shrawan 2069 to Shrawan 2072. He was in office when the Cabinet gave in-principle approval for the airport project on Falgun 4, 2069. Reports have previously raised questions about his role, alleging that he returned a file related to the airport without registering it with the Cabinet. However, published reports say he has not been named as a defendant in the case.

Section 7(a) of the Special Court Act empowers the court to hear people or examine evidence it considers necessary in addition to witnesses called by the parties. An order to appear under this provision is not, by itself, an arrest warrant or a formal charge. Section 7(b), separately, allows the court to issue an arrest warrant against a defendant or witness who fails to appear when summoned.

The CIAA has filed cases at the Special Court in several stages over alleged irregularities in the Pokhara airport project. The cases concern allegations involving the tender process, consultant appointments and tax exemptions.